Ganesh Tok

Ganesh Tok is a tiny hilltop shrine and one of the best viewpoints over the city among the places to visit in Gangtok. It is easy to combine with the zoo and Hanuman Tok on a half-day loop.

Ganesh Tok is a small temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh, perched on a hilltop at roughly 6,500 ft on the ridge north-east of central Gangtok, along the road that also leads to the Himalayan Zoological Park and Hanuman Tok. The shrine itself is so compact that it is often said to fit only one person at a time, and visitors reach it by a steep, prayer-flag-lined staircase from the road.

Most people come for the view. From the small viewing platform the whole of Gangtok spreads across the hillside below, including the Raj Bhavan area, and on clear days the snow peaks of the Kangchenjunga range fill the horizon.

Incredible India lists the temple's hours as 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM. No entry fee has been reported, although this is not confirmed by an official source. Ganesh Tok is usually visited with the neighbouring Himalayan Zoological Park and Hanuman Tok, and it is close to Tashi View Point, so all four fit into a half-day local sightseeing loop by taxi.

Come early in the morning for the best chance of clear mountain views; clouds tend to roll in later in the day, especially during the monsoon from June to September.